Experience the thrills of backcountry fishing & lobster charters in the Florida Keys.

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Why the name
Dirty Waters Charters?

The name “Dirty Waters Charters” is catchy to most but makes some scratch their heads. Dirty Waters Charters is owned and operated by Capt. Lain Goodwin and offers fishing charters from Key Largo and Islamorada to Everglades National Park and nearshore waters of the Upper Keys. The name has an interesting origin considering we’re surrounded by the gin clear waters of the Florida Keys. For many, the name is catchy but for some it's controversial, so here’s the story behind the contradictive name and the captain.

My inshore fishing career started in the brackish muddy waters of the Mississippi Delta. As a young kid, I grew-up fishing for redfish, trout, flounder and black drum in the marshes of south Louisiana. In 1998, I moved to the Florida Keys and began fishing the waters around Key Largo and Islamorada. I quickly realized why the Upper Keys are considered the fishing capital of the world. The species and styles of fishing are endless here. But for me, the shallow brackish waters of the Key Largo backcountry and Everglades National Park were a natural fit. When it comes to fish, they’re not much different than us, they seek food and shelter!. Areas where crustaceans and schools of baitfish congregate attract everything from redfish, snook and tarpon to sea trout and jack cravelles. On the Oceanside, shallow flats offer world-class sight fishing opportunities for fisherman stalking hungry schools of bonefish, permit and tarpon. These crystal clear flats have ample supplies of blue crabs and shrimp providing foraging opportunities for a variety of hard fighting flats species.

In 2003, I started my fishing charter business, Dirty Waters Charters, concentrating on inshore, flats, backcountry and wreck/reef fishing out of the Upper Keys for snook, redfish, tarpon, bonefish, permit, trout, snapper, jack cravelle, grouper and sharks. Success in the fishing industry is not strictly based on catching fish, but also providing for an enjoyable and memorable day on the water. Capt. Lain can accommodate all skill levels from an experienced angler seeking flats species in 6 inches of water to a family looking for a fun day of bending rods with the kids. I admit, occasionally I scratch my own head thinking about the name “Dirty Waters Charters” for a Florida Keys charter fishing company, but it’s not just a catchy name, it’s a tribute to my fishing roots.